Ocala Winn-Dixie stores close doors

The stores at 4417 NW Blitchton Road (U.S. 27) and 8445 SW State Road 200 are among 94 stores to close as part of a corporate restructuring plan.

Carlos E. Medina @OcalaStarBanner

Some children's shoelaces, a few bottles of RIT fabric dye and a couple of jars of gefilte fish were among the few items left at the two Ocala Winn-Dixie stores during the last day of business on Monday.

The stores at 4417 NW Blitchton Road (U.S. 27) and 8445 SW State Road 200 are among the 94 stores the company said it would close as part of its restructuring plan after filing for bankruptcy protection in late March. Southeastern Grocers, which operates the Winn-Dixie chain, has headquarters in Jacksonville.

On Monday, a steady stream of people came in to pick over the last of the items.

At the State Road 200 location, Wayne Philbrook stopped to take one last look.

"A lot of people that live in Pine Run come over here on golf carts to shop so they don't have to go out on 200. I'm so disappointed that I'm going to move out of this area," Philbrook said.

Philbrook rides his golf cart to the Friendship Plaza to get his hair cut, do his banking and, until recently, buy groceries.

"This is where I bought all my groceries. I think they are crazy for closing it. Every time I was in there it was always crowded. I don't understand. I think someone has made a terrible mistake," he said.

The 46,422-square-foot store shares the shopping center with other businesses.

Bob Dunham, who lives near the Blitchton Road location, found a great deal on three-ring binders, which he got for two cents each.

"I think it's a real shame. These are neighborhood stores. People in the neighborhood come here on a regular basis. I think the online stuff is really hurting the little people. It's not a good thing," Dunham said.

That store was also selling its fixtures and leftover equipment. Paola, who did not want to give her last name, searched through the metal baking sheets left over from the bakery.

"I like to make cookies," she said.

She said she often shopped at the location and was sad to see it go.

"It's terrible. I came here all the time," she said.

While the 47,192-square-foot anchor store is history, the shopping center has several other businesses, including a Darrell's Dog Gone Good Diner.

Business was brisk at the diner during lunch on Monday.

"A lot of our people come here for the diner. We've had people talk about the closing, but it has not really affected us," said Jessica Illian, who was working behind the counter on Monday.

Winn-Dixie has five other locations in Marion County, including in Dunnellon, Silver Springs and Belleview.

Southeastern Grocers also operates Harveys Supermarket, Bi-Lo and Fresco y Mas stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina, according to the company's website.

Two former Winn-Dixie locations in Ocala, at 2640 NE 14th St. (Oakbrook Plaza) and 3435 N. Pine Ave., became Harveys in August.

Even with the 94 stores closing, the company will still operate more than 580 stores in the southeast. The restructuring plan hopes to eliminate $500 million in debt, according to the company.